A Day in the Life: Daisy Maxwell

This account was written for the MidAtlantic News Research Conference on July 18-19, 1997.



Daisy Maxwell
Librarian
Fayetteville Observer-Times
July 15, 1997
                           ____________

I have no idea what a typical day is.  Each day is different and a real 
challenge.  Since I have a small staff, I have to do whatever is
necessary to complete the mission.

My day starts at 6 a.m. when I begin reading the paper.  I have to read
the paper at home because I do not have time to read it at work.  In
addition, I want to be familiar with our news coverage before reporting to work.

I report to work at 9:00 a.m.   Three part-time library assistants work
with me --  Elina who works 25 hours a week has been working in the library
for several years.  Laine started about two weeks ago and Sharon works from
5-9 p.m..  By 9 a.m. Elina, has prepared the paper to be enhanced and is
enhancing images using the photo archiver.  Laine, who works 32 hours a week, is 
enhancing the paper. 

First, I read and respond to in-house messages.  Next I read the daily B
Board which is a critique of the paper and other information posted by the
editor and/or managing editor.

I check my e-mail and respond to several requests for information.  One
person wants an obituary.  Another person wants a recipe.  Another reader wants 
information about Calvin Koonce, a former baseball player. I e-mail each 
person information regarding our research policy.  I read the military
briefs furnished by Army Times and the summary of Supreme Court decisions sent
to my e-mail address.


An editor requests recent population figures for the counties we serve. 
Since I recently downloaded the figures from the Internet, I am able to
furnish the information on the spot.


I work with Laine, the new employee, who is learning to enhance.

In between answering the telephone and assisting reporters, I scan the 
microfilm to locate interesting local news I can use to write my weekly 
column, ''From The Archives``  a digest of major local news covering 10,
25,35 and 50 years ago.

One of the feature writers needs information about Phish, a band.  Since
there is little information available in our database, I search Lexis-Nexis
and download several articles.

I check the enhancing of the new employee, add keywords to the stories
she has enhanced and prepare them for indexing.


A business reporter wants articles on ``Just In Time``, a business
inventory concept.  There are no hits when I search our database. I search
Lexis-Nexis Requester, locate several articles and print them. It is great having
access to Lexis-Nexis.  The reporters think I am `THE GREATEST` to be able to
provide information in a flash. We subscribe to  Lexis-Nexis Requester, a
modified version of Nexis.  We pay a flat rate of $169 per month and have
unlimited use.  It is an ideal reference source for small libraries on a limited
budget.

It is 11:50 and I leave to attend the monthly meeting of the
Myrover-Reese Fellowship Home, a substance abuse halfway house.  I am a member of the
board of directors and we have a luncheon meeting once a month.  I return to
the office around 1:15.  There are several messages to handle.

I enhance the B section (state and local news) while answering telephone 
requests.  One patron wants to know the date her baby's birth was listed
in the paper.  A caller from Oregon wants a list of births published in the
paper for babies born August 15, 1954.  She is attempting to locate her birth 
mother.  A customer service representative from the Circulation
Department wants to know the date the list of graduates of Methodist College was 
published.

I instruct a new reporter on using the electronic library system.

A reporter at the Robeson Extra bureau needs the name of a religious
leader, mentioned in an earlier story, who opposed mixed drink sales in
Lumberton.  I search the database and give him the name while he waited.

An editor informs me that Hugh Shelton, a former commander of Fort Bragg
is being considered for the position of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff and he needs a detailed biography of Shelton, a description of his
duties as chairman, and an organizational chart of the Defense Department.
I pull the biography from the clip file and transfer the latest
biographical information from the database to his basket.  I obtain the
organizational chart, duties, and additional information from the U.S. GOVERNMENT
MANUAL.
 
I discuss the night duties with Sharon.  Check the stories indexed the 
previous day, deindexed and corrected three stories.

It is 6:30.  I clean my desk.  Check my calendar for any special meeting
or deadlines for the next day and leave the office.


A Day in the Life
SLA News Division Home

Last Updated: 09/16/02
Amy Disch
Send comments or suggestions to newsdivisionweb@yahoo.com